Gambling compulsions among care recipients cr are increasing normal gambling habits many crs engage in could actually become a compulsion and can even resemble a…

Try: Gambling compulsions among care recipients cr are increasing normal gambling habits many crs engage in could actually become a compulsion and can even resemble a disease rising numbers of seniors with gambling problems have led experts to think the older population may be more susceptible to habitual gambling due to circumstances like fears from living on fixed income sources and higher levels of depression nationwide state programs are taking a closer look at seniors and their gambling habits according to the national council on problem gambling ncpg compulsive gambling is progressive in nature and becomes a preoccupation crs may increasingly desire to increase their bets and be unable to resist the behavior despite financial problems and declining relationships they can be described as having a skewed sense of reality and oftentimes have low levels of self-esteem many times the children of crs addicted to gambling are unaware of their parents’ problem to crs especially those who survived illness or the loss of a husband or wife gambling can provide a way to retreat casinos also frequently target the elderly information references ehow com

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Categories: Behavior Challenging

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Keywords: Compulsion gambling

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Hoarding can become a major issue for some care recipients cr sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between someone who was a pack rat…

Try: Hoarding can become a major issue for some care recipients cr sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between someone who was a pack rat when they were younger and a cr who has serious hoarding problems the symptoms can vary for example an elderly woman with alzheimer alzheimer’s may like to collect tissues because they are soft her caregiver begins to find tissues stuffed in pockets purses couches closets even the bathtub another person collects ties from bread bags and yet another refuses to throw anything away resulting in piles of junk lying around the house that could easily be tripped over compulsive hoarding is a psychological disorder often seen in obsessive-compulsive personality disorder if hoarding begins to interfere with everyday activities and life it is considered pathological hoarding many times hoarding does demonstrate a need for comfort because of the deep fears and anxiety experienced by some crs others will hold on to items because they fear their memories will be lost without that tangible evidence of the past hoarding behavior is most likely due to insecurity anger and confusion as brain function is decreasing information references agingcare com

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Compulsion hoarding

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Elderly care recipients cr may be agitated or angry for a multitude of reasons decreasing abilities discomfort and fear caused by illness and disease processes…

Try: Elderly care recipients cr may be agitated or angry for a multitude of reasons decreasing abilities discomfort and fear caused by illness and disease processes gradual decline in mental cognition and feelings of helplessness are often causes for anger the most common signs of building emotions in a cr that may lead to anger include but are not limited to impatience sarcasm unwillingness to participate in daily events or schedules withdrawal and increased complaints each caregiver most likely knows and recognizes differences in behavior attitude and patience levels in their cr watch for signs that the cr may be growing increasingly frustrated with his or her situation has your normally pleasant mother suddenly taken to grumbling and snapping at others does your dad start shouting at the least disagreement or issue that might touch on personal topics information references www boomers-with-elderly-parents com

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Categories: Behavior Challenging

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Keywords: Anger frustration

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Caregivers often encounter a wide range of behavior in care recipients cr the following are some common examples of bad behavior with some suggestions for…

Try: Caregivers often encounter a wide range of behavior in care recipients cr the following are some common examples of bad behavior with some suggestions for the caregiver the cr has strange obsessions saving tissues worrying if its time to take their meds constantly picking at their skin hypochondria are all types of obsessive behaviors that disrupt the daily lives of crs and their caregivers obsession is sometimes related to an addictive personality or a past history of obsessive compulsive disorder ocd caregiver response view the cr’s obsessive-compulsive behaviors as a symptom not a character flaw watch for signs that certain events trigger the obsession if the obsession seems to be related to a specific event or activity avoid it as much as possible the cr engages in hoarding when a cr hoards the on-set of alzheimer alzheimer’s or dementia could be at fault someone someone’s pre-alzheimer pre-alzheimer’s personality may trigger hoarding behavior at the onset of the disease caregiver response you can try to reason and even talk about items to throw out and give away or create a memory box a place to keep special things with extreme hoarders medication and family counseling could make a big difference in how you cope and manage the cr refuses to let outside caregivers into her house the presence of an outsider suggests to the cr that their family can’t or doesn’t want to take care of their needs it also can make a cr feel vulnerable caregiver response constant reassurance is necessary understanding the cr cr’s fear and vulnerability is necessary in order for you to cope with this problem have serious talks with them and realize the first time may not work it could take several months convince them the cr has money issues some caregivers are pulling out their hair over a cr’s money habits the ability to handle one one’s own money is about power and independence if age or disease takes away some of your independence in other areas a person is apt to try to make up for this loss in another way caregiver response the cr will insist there is no problem it it’s their money and they can spend it as they choose they do have a right to an extent to spend their money as they see fit for over-spenders when their spending habits are draining the last of their finances or forcing others to cover expenses they should be paying for themselves it it’s time to step in sometimes it may help to bring in a third party to show the cr a problem exists the cr wants all the caregiver caregiver’s time and attention once a person becomes a caregiver the cr might construe that commitment as a 24-hour full-time job however the caregiver has other priorities including work family etc caregiver response this is a time when a caregiver needs to make themselves a priority caregiving is stressful but when it turns into a full-time job with a demanding cr it is a recipe for caregiver burnout don’t get lost in caring for others make yourself a priority information references adapted from www agingcare com

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Categories: Behavior Challenging

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Keywords: Behavior bad behavior

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Care recipients cr can often become frustrated and show anger sometimes however stress grief financial difficulties physical health and other reasons generate an overall sense…

Try: Care recipients cr can often become frustrated and show anger sometimes however stress grief financial difficulties physical health and other reasons generate an overall sense of dissatisfaction in life that often leads to differing mood swings sometimes this is fleeting while other times it just seems to build and grow in the cr dealing with anger and resentment requires plenty of patience understanding and the ability to put oneself in another person person’s shoes it also means being educated regarding resources in order to restore balance and emotional peace not only for the cr but for caregivers and other family members be observant of the cr and be willing to communicate and to encourage communication many seniors are especially hesitant to discuss certain topics with others especially personal issues if you notice the cr growing increasingly anxious impatient or frustrated it it’s up to you to find out why and potentially reduce anger and resentment bring up certain topics when both the caregiver and cr are calm and relaxed don’t expect to get all the information out of the cr in one sitting but gradually warm up conversations to discuss the needed issues information references www boomers-with-elderly-parents com

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

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References: n/a

Keywords: Anger frustration

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Huntington huntington’s disease is a disorder passed down through families in which nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away or degenerate causes…

Try: Huntington huntington’s disease is a disorder passed down through families in which nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away or degenerate causes incidence and risk factors huntington huntington’s disease is caused by a genetic defect on chromosome 4 the defect causes a part of dna called a cag repeat to occur many more times than it is supposed to normally this section of dna is repeated 10 to 28 times but in persons with huntington huntington’s disease it is repeated 36 to 120 times as the gene is passed down through families the number of repeats tends to get larger the larger the number of repeats the greater your chance of developing symptoms at an earlier age therefore as the disease is passed along in families symptoms develop at younger and younger ages there are two forms of huntington huntington’s disease the most common is adult-onset huntington huntington’s disease persons with this form usually develop symptoms in their mid 30s and 40s an early-onset form of huntington huntington’s disease accounts for a small number of cases and begins in childhood or adolescence if one of your parents has huntington huntington’s disease you have a 50 chance of getting the gene for the disease if you get the gene from your parents you will develop the disease at some point in your life and can pass it onto your children if you do not get the gene from your parents you cannot pass the gene onto your children symptoms behavior changes may occur before movement problems and can include behavioral disturbances hallucinations irritability moodiness restlessness or fidgeting paranoia psychosis abnormal and unusual movements include facial movements including grimaces head turning to shift eye position quick sudden sometimes wild jerking movements of the arms legs face and other body parts slow uncontrolled movements unsteady gait dementia that slowly gets worse including disorientation or confusion loss of judgment loss of memory personality changes speech changes additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease anxiety stress and tension difficulty swallowing speech impairment signs and tests the doctor will perform a physical exam and may ask questions about the patient patient’s family history and symptoms a neurological exam will also be done the doctor may see signs of dementia abnormal movements abnormal reflexes prancing and wide walk hesitant speech or poor enunciation a head ct scan may show loss of brain tissue especially deep in the brain other tests that may show signs of huntington huntington’s disease include head mri scan pet isotope scan of the brain genetic tests are available to determine whether a person carries the gene for huntington huntington’s disease treatment there is no cure for huntington huntington’s disease and there is no known way to stop the disease from getting worse the goal of treatment is to slow down the symptoms and help the person function and stay comfortable for as long and as possible medications vary depending on the symptoms dopamine blockers may help reduce abnormal behaviors and movements drugs such as amantadine and tetrabenazine are used to try to control extra movements there has been some evidence to suggest that co-enzyme q10 may also help slow down the course of the disease but it is not conclusive depression and suicide are common among persons with huntington huntington’s disease it is important for all those who care for a person with huntington huntington’s disease to monitor for symptoms and treat accordingly as the disease progresses the person will need assistance and supervision and may eventually need 24-hour care expectations prognosis huntington huntington’s disease causes disability that gets worse over time persons with this disease usually die within 15 to 20 years the cause of death is often infection although suicide is also common it is important to realize that the disease affects everyone differently the number of cag repeats may determine the severity of symptoms persons with few repeats may have mild abnormal movements later in life and slow disease progression while those with a large number of repeats may be severely affected at a young age complications loss of ability to care for self loss of ability to interact injury to self or others increased risk of infection depression death prevention genetic counseling is advised if there is a family history of huntington huntington’s disease experts also recommend genetic counseling for couples with a family history of this disease who are considering having children information references "other movement disorders" by in a lang 2007 "neurology in clinical practice" 5th edition by w g bradley r b daroff g m feniche and j jankovic 2008

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Medical Physical, Personal, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, So-So Verbal Comm, Poor Verbal Comm, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

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Keywords: Movement disorders depression memory loss speech impairment balance problems

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Drooling is a common problem in some older or ill care recipients cr drooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth with the elderly crs a…

Try: Drooling is a common problem in some older or ill care recipients cr drooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth with the elderly crs a common health complication develops with age known as sialorrhea excessive drooling medically described as an uncontrollable drooling associated with an over production of saliva it is most common in the cr who has experienced a complication involving the facial muscle and nerve involvement such as that found in a stroke patient among the elderly population who suffer from excessive drooling the complication is generally confirmed in diagnosis following the development of a health complication such as a stroke with excessive saliva the secondary complications may include chapping of the lips and the associated area outside of the mouth resulting in infections of the mouth and a foul odor or extremely bad breath for many of the elderly crs especially those who are engaged in social activities there is some embarrassment associated with severe drooling as a result the excessive saliva can lead to secondary psychological complications including depression anxiety and isolation information references www myoptumhealth com

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Drooling saliva

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

It may be difficult for the caregiver (cg) to distinguish the difference between typical age-related changes in the Care recipient (cr) and the first signs…

Try: It may be difficult for the caregiver (cg) to distinguish the difference between typical age-related changes in the Care recipient (cr) and the first signs of alzheimer alzheimer’s disease and related dementias a list of warning signs is detailed below the cr may experience one or more of these in different degrees however you should seek professional help if you notice any of these warning signs memory changes that disrupt daily living challenges in planning or solving problems difficulty completing familiar tasks at home at work or in leisure time activities confusion with time or place trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships having new problems with words when speaking or writing misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps decreased or poor judgment withdrawal from social family and work activities changes in mood and personality information references adapted from www alz org the alzheimer alzheimer’s association

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Social

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Keywords: Alzheimer alzheimer’s disease dementia memory loss cognitive impairment mentally challenged mentally incapacitated losing it

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Throughout our lives music provides enjoyment relaxation hobbies and for some a career many milestones celebrations and cherished memories in life are often associated with…

Try: Throughout our lives music provides enjoyment relaxation hobbies and for some a career many milestones celebrations and cherished memories in life are often associated with a particular song fond memories can be recalled and relived by just hearing such a song caregivers can use music in many different ways to provide not only enjoyable entertainment for the Care recipient (cr) but also promote relaxation after listening to music the cr may feel calmer more comfortable and better able to deal with frustration loneliness stress and agitation reliving memories through music may also provide the cr with an opportunity to share those memories with you as a result you may gain a richer understanding of the cr’s life core values challenges accomplishments and so on the rhythmic beat of a song may lend itself to various forms of exercise this can provide an activity to maintain wellness enhance aging and improve the general quality of life there are several ways that music can be enjoyed sing-a-longs with music choose songs that the cg particularly enjoys or those that have a special meaning to him or her listening to music the choices are vast and it may take several sessions focus on the selections that create a favorable or relaxing mood for the cr playing music if the cr has played an instrument or piano in the past hunt up some of the old song books and ask him or her to play encourage the cr to ask others to join in the fun teach the cr and friends how to play a new musical instrument that is easy to learn and fun to play for example form a marching kazoo band with the cr and friends teach the cr and friends how to play various rhythm instruments form a rhythm band or drumming circle start a bell choir you can buy a relatively inexpensive set of bells from suppliers who sell activity aids the bells are played along with the musical track on a cd played through a boom box the bells are color coded and the leader of the group flips cue cards with the colors when your color is flipped you ring your bell encourage and praise any musical accomplishment listening to background music while engaged in another activity for example use soothing background music to alleviate possible reluctance to bathing play upbeat songs during meal times and softer selections at bedtime emotional relaxation with music if you notice that a particular song creates an emotional release for the cr use that music to help relieve stress musical games play different versions of a name-that-tune activity hymns television themes broadway musical numbers children’s songs folk and patriotic music or classical and old standards can be enjoyed in this way using music during daily routines playing the same song during a particular task or routine each day may link them together this may make things go smoother with less agitation and more cooperation from the cr for example play the same tune each day when the cr is getting dressed in the morning the following sample checklist provides an example of how you can easily keep track of songs the cr cr’s response to them either positive or negative and the ways the song can be used in care giving song title or style response of the care recipient can be used to the hokie pokie lots of laughter and energy do the hokie pokie in exercise class every morning moon river sung by andy williams calming effect play moon river before the cr goes to bed or when agitated the boogie woogie bugle boy in company b brought up fond memories of participating in jitter bug contests in the u s army during world war ii cr was quite animated and wanted to tell the stories use as a springboard for a reminiscing activity ask the cr to share about army life during the war dancing and so on information references

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Social, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

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Keywords: Music stress relaxation communication

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

There are tell-tale signs in a Care recipient (cr) who suffers from depression these should not be taken for granted if not dealt with immediately…

Try: There are tell-tale signs in a Care recipient (cr) who suffers from depression these should not be taken for granted if not dealt with immediately a more serious mental illness may develop it is important for caregivers to recognize when the cr is depressed and take appropriate action some of the signs of depression are detailed below irritability if the cr gets irritable over the littlest of things this may be a sign that he or she is depressed the cr may not want other people to tell him or her what to do and may get upset when this occurs loneliness this may be the most important change in behavior that you can observe in a depressed cr the cr may feel all alone and that no one cares or loves him or her the cr may be resigned to feeling no one will ever consider him or her worthy of being loved silence the cr may not express thoughts openly to other for fear of being judged the cr may just go in one corner and just stare at the walls and not say anything if you notice this approach the cr and tell him or her that you are available to talk anytime does not get out of bed when a cr is depressed he or she may be lazy and not get out of bed to do the daily routines and activities that are normally done try to cheer up the cr by offering to make breakfast in bed and planning fun activities that you can do together that day does not care about his or her physical appearance anymore the cr may feel that it is no longer important to get cleaned up and look nice since he or she rarely goes out of the house you may want to try tactfully worded reminders that the cr used to always get fixed up and look nice lack of sleep you will know that the cr is not getting enough sleep when he or she has dark circles under the eyes and does not try to conceal them the cr may not be sleeping well due to worries about current problems what the future holds and so on depressed individuals tend to over think over analyze everything and worry obsessively about things that are not that important and may or may not happen general suggestions for helping the cr deal with depression assure the cr you are there to help and that he or she is not alone in dealing with the situation enlist the help of relatives and friends so that the cr will not feel that no one cares go out of your way to show your love and concern for the cr if the cr knows that you are supportive and willing to help the depression may go away or become less severe information references adapted from www howtodothings com "how to recognize depression in others" by troy marshall no date

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Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Personal, Social, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

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Keywords: Depressed depression irritability irritable lonely loneliness sad mental illness poor eating habits odd sleep patterns doesn’t sleep well sleeps too much sleeps all the time

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed